Memory systems and memory devices (e.g., a digital flash memory device) typically include a digital controller for the storage and retrieval of digital information to and from a memory (e.g., a non-volatile flash memory). In a conventional memory device, such as a digital flash memory device, most of the command sequences (e.g., read, write, copy, erase, and so on) that are supported by the digital flash memory device are usually known at the time the digital flash memory device is specified and architected. Consequently, the command sequences are typically set (and fixed) in hardware (e.g., the command sequences are hardwired into a state machine or fixed in a read-only memory (ROM)) and, therefore, the command sequences generally cannot be modified after the digital flash memory device has been fabricated. Such hardwired state machines typically require recoding for any changes made to the pre-determined sequences, which is an expensive and time consuming process which requires that a new digital flash memory device be fabricated and tested.
Accordingly, what is needed is a system and method for extending the number of commands that are available to be executed (or processed) by a conventional memory device that includes a state machine, which extended commands (when processed) do not require that the state machine be recoded. The present invention addresses such a need.